The FBI is planning to fast-track a class of 40 investigators from other federal law enforcement agencies through an abridged version of its new agent training at Quantico, people familiar with the FBI’s plans tell the Sun.

The move comes as the FBI prepares for the departure of roughly 2,300 agents by September 30th through a combination of early retirements – many of which are involuntary – and outright firings, according to those familiar with the FBI’s plans. 

On Thursday, FBI operations director Jodi Cohen said in an internal memo that the Bureau will open up its FBI Academy to personnel from other government agencies and allow them to become FBI agents through an expedited training program, as first reported by MSNBC News. In addition, FBI agents in field offices will be armed with tasers and be expected to spend time on violent crime cases, the outlet reported.

Starting in November, a class of forty “1811s” – the Office of Personnel Management’s designation given to criminal investigators – from other federal law enforcement agencies will be going through an eight-week training program at the FBI Academy in Quantico.

Traditionally, the FBI Academy in Quantico Basic Field Training Course runs 16 weeks and covers firearms training, physical fitness, and counterterrorism techniques. 

But in November, that program will be condensed to eight weeks, those familiar with the FBI’s plans tell the Sun. The FBI Director, Kash Patel, and his top deputy, Daniel Bongino, are also lowering Quantico’s historically high barrier for entry, permitting those federal agents to join the FBI, regardless of whether they have a college degree. 

Until now, most FBI hopefuls would need at least two years of professional experience and a college degree, among other qualifications. FBI recruiters have historically looked favorably at applicants with accounting degrees or backgrounds due to the agency’s longtime focus on financial crimes.

But fighting violent crime – a duty the FBI’s critics have accused it of shirking – is now becoming a priority, lessening the need for college graduates with accounting degrees.  Under this new approach, the first class of 40 agents will spend eight weeks familiarizing themselves with FBI protocols and investigative methods and will not be expected to take academic exams, those familiar with the FBI’s plans tell the Sun.

The FBI’s apparent decision to lower its barrier of entry is both “short sighted and wrong,” former FBI agent and the former president of the FBI Agents Association, Thomas O’Connor, tells the Sun. 

“The FBI is not fighting a war of attrition. They are fighting a battle of technical criminal enterprises, in which you need to have a standard of investigative knowledge and you can’t shorten that,” Mr. O’Connor tells the Sun.

An FBI spokesman did not respond to texts and phone calls from the Sun. 

This is just the latest change in a bureau that has been rocked with continued upheavals and firings in recent weeks. Several top FBI officials, including those who took part in investigations involving President Trump and administration officials, were dismissed by Mr. Patel. This week, a special agent in charge for the bureau’s El Paso office, John Morales, and the head of the Detroit office, Chevyvoryea “Shea” Gibson, were also removed from their positions, those familiar with the firings tell the Sun. An FBI spokesman did not respond to requests for comment from the Sun.

In all, the FBI is aiming to slash its current headcount of over 37,000 total employees by 15 percent, according to a report from MSNBC.

On Thursday, Senate Judiciary Committee’s ranking member, Dick Durbin, called on the Department of Justice to investigate what he characterized as the FBI’s “arbitrary” and politically motivated purge. As a member of the Senate’s minority, Mr. Durbin lacks subpoena power, and his ability to effect much change beyond just writing a letter is unclear.

This week, FBI agents joined other federal law enforcement agencies in patrolling Washington DC as part of the Trump Administration’s federal takeover of the beleaguered Metropolitan Police Department.